The present invention relate of a slide fastener type closure, more particularly to a slide fastener type closure wherein the closure may be easily opened by a force applied preferably adjacent to an open end of the closure
Interlocking fasteners of the type formed by a pair of continuous coils or intermeshing teeth or interlocking elements capable of being intermeshed against separation by a transverse pull and capable of being meshed together and unmeshed by the movement of a slider thereto are known (such as shown in the Smith U.S. Pat. No. 2,296,880 issued Sep. 29, 1942 and Takamatsu, U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,931 issued Apr. 6, 1976). Slide fasteners of this type are in general comprised a pair of wound helical coils of continuous filament or individual teeth attached to the edges of a tape to form a stringer, which in turn is attached to the edges of a cover, slit or opening which can be closed when the slider passes in one direction lengthwise and opened by sliding the slider lengthwise in the opposite direction. The slider distorts the tape and coils or teeth such that alternate loops or teeth formed by elements on the opposed stringers can lock or unlock together with coils or teeth on the opposite side of the cover, slit or opening depending upon the direction of sliding of the slider.
In a typical application of a slide fastener used to close a cover slit or opening, one end of the fastener has the two sides of the fastener (opposed stringers) prevented from separating by being clamped or otherwise permanently held together, this end being known as the closed end and the opposite end free to separate which called the open end, the slider is arranged such that when slid towards the closed end of the zipper the coils or teeth are unengaged and when slid towards the open end the coils or teeth are engaged together, with the coils or teeth thus engaged they are prevented from easily being disengaged from each other by the last few coils or teeth being held together within the body of the slider.
It has been the practice for a number of years in packaging of some military gear such as military inflatables hook and loop fasteners have been used and in some cases have been replaced by a slide fastener having no end stops has been used. The slide fastener system closure system opened automatically but was closed by threading a slider onto one end and removing it completely from the other. This operation was quite tricky and time consuming and was much too difficult to be done while wearing the device. After the inflatable had been used it had to be returned to a workshop for repacking i.e. it was similar to having a parachute repacked after each usage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a releasable slide fastener closure system that may be easily reclosed without reassembly.
Broadly the present invention relates to a releasable slide fastener closure for closing an opening while permitting opening by application of a force in a predefined direction, said closure comprising a slide fastener formed by a first and second stringer each formed by a plurality of side by side interlocking elements mounted on a tape, said interlocking elements on said first stringer cooperating with said interlocking elements on said second stringer to hold said first and second stringers together and thereby said closure in a closed position when said cooperating interlocking elements are in an interlocking closed position, a slider mounted on said stringers for sliding movement along said stringers relative to said interlocking elements to move said elements into said interlocking closed position on movement of said slider in one direction from a first end of said closure toward a second end of said closure, each of said stringers has a stop means for preventing said slider from separating there from at said first end and at said second end, said stringers being free to separate from said interlocking closed position at said first end when said force is applied in said predefined direction adjacent to said first end.
Preferably said elements are coil elements.
Preferably said stringers are interconnected at said second end by a connection means.
Preferably said connection means provides said stop means at said second ends of said first and second stringers.